Rising Fear
by Bateux
Summary: A HGSS little one shot ficlet. A collapse happens in a cave where Hermionie, Severus, Harry, and Ginny are splunking. WARNING character death.


This is my first Fanfic ever. I have enjoyed reading them so much that I thought I would try to write my own. I write reallydepressing stuff so sorry if I insult anyone.

I have Borrowed thecharacters from the ever migty god of Harry Potter and will return them after play time is over.

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I don't know how long I've been sitting here. In the dark and the deafening noise I've lost all sense of time. Maybe it's been days, maybe just a few hours. The water reaches my chin now, and my body's been numb with cold for what feels like ages. It's probably been a while since I last felt Hermione stir. It's impossible to hear if she's still breathing; the roaring water drowns out all sounds except for the thoughts that rush through my mind. Drowns out! For a moment I lose control, laughing hysterically, and at once my mouth is filled with water. Some disturbingly calm part of me states that the water tastes good, slightly metallic and with a hint of salt in it. At the same time, I'm coughing and panting, trying in vain to empty my lungs. New water fills them, and I return to the only solution I know; the one I've used the last minutes/hours/days/years/aeons. I keep as still as I can, stretching my neck to gain those last, life-giving centimetres. I don't have to close my eyes to see Hermione in front of me. Just like she looked before. The heavy jacket, dungarees and strong boots, helmet with a headlamp, just like the one I had. Had. Her cinnamon eyes shine as she is smiling up at me. She must be dead now, just like Harry and Ginny. They were lucky, to get buried beneath thousands of tons of rock; I envy them now. I don't envy Hermione, my lovely, sweet Hermione. She's gone ahead, and I'll be right behind her. I'm coming, Hermione! I don't really know if I'm whispering or screaming, or if I'm dead silent. All I can hear is the roar of the water. I wonder if the entire river has been laid dry. If it's become subterranean.

The water is at my chin again, even though I've laid my head back, stretching as much as I can. It's been a long time since I stopped pulling at my legs. I've tried to break them off, but I can't get enough leverage under the water. I'm probably not even bruised. Wonder if they'll ever find us. Albus and Minerva knew we were heading for the caves, but we didn't tell him when we expected to get back. Has he called for help? Maybe they're digging for us even now. It won't matter. Every time there's a wave I get water in my mouth, and I can swallow no more. My lips are frozen stiff, and it's hard to spit it out. I try to keep my mouth closed, breathing through my nose, but it is difficult. Water leaks in through the corners of my mouth. Thoughts are rushing now as Death hold his scythe to my neck. It is true. You do see your life.

It's a beautiful day in late May, and it's so warm outside. Hermione and I are playing in my garden, back home outside of London. We have been Married 2 years, I never have been so lucky to love someone like her in my entire life.

Albus is awarding me my graduation certificate and tells me I have been accepted by the potions master to become his apprentice.

I survived the fall of the dark lord. I crawl across the grounds to my fallen Hermione. She's hurt but we just stay in each other's arm until finally help arrives. I hold her and she holds me. We both shared tears of joy.

I'm in the sauna with Harry, slowly approaching ninety degrees, and he is telling me he's decided to propose to Ginny. After dating Hermione and the fall of the Dark lord we became more tolerant of each other and that soon changed to friendship. I congratulate him, and slaps his back, laughing as he screams with pain.

Hermione and I are making love in our room back at the castle, whispering sweet words to each other as we share a sweaty embrace. In just a few hours, we are leaving for the Mountains. The tension leaves our bodies as we share each other's warmth.

Why does my mind keep centring on heat? Here in the cold and in the dark there can't be any memories left of how it felt to be warm. But I am hot! It feels as if my body is glowing, as if any time now I might vaporise all the water, floating with it like a cloud, up through the caves and then on to the sky. If I could only get my fingers to work, I'd rip off every single piece of clothing I wear. I wish I hadn't lost my wand in the collapse. It wouldn't matter anyways. My hands wouldn't hold it. Now the water is seeping in through my nostrils. Gently I bring my stiff hands together in front of my face, forming a little bowl to keep it away for a while longer. The motion makes the rock that is pinning my legs shift, and I pull and thrash for all I'm worth; the pain hardly even reaches my brain. There! I'm getting free! Free! No! No. No... Stuck again. I've won a few inches. A few more minutes or hours or lifetimes to fight the water and hope for my rescuers to come. I nearly cry out as I feel a hand land on my shoulder. Maybe I do, it's hard to tell. Panicking, I wave my arms, but only manage to end up with my head submerged. It takes me forever to calm down enough to be able to sit still and keep my head above the surface. The hand is still there, and I take it, caressing the cold, stiff fingers. The ring makes me cry. Adding more water, I think to myself, my tears mixing with burbling, giggling hysteria. All I want to do is to sink back down and float out into the water. Merge with it on its way to the sea.

Suddenly she stands there, right in front of me. Even though it's pitch dark I can see her, see how she points to her body in the water next to me, how she smiles at me and shakes her head. What does she mean? My God, she's beautiful! Almost luminescent she stands there, all naked in this cold cave, yet still radiant as if with an inner warmth. 'You poor thing,' she whispers inside my head. 'Beloved...' I find myself wondering how I she can see me in the dark; I'm not glowing like she is, but she just keeps smiling. Then she lowers herself into the water, and she removes all the rock, and I stand up and my legs aren't broken and now she emerges next to me, hugging me and I'm warm and she's warm and we kiss. But her lips are ice cold.

Now I am screaming. My whole body can feel the anguished howl that dies out into the roar of the water. Suddenly I am wide-awake, the dream gone. It was a dream, wasn't it? The water and the darkness are hurting my eyes, and I see bright spots dancing before me. I must have breathed in water as I slept, for now I'm coughing violently, and it feels as if I'm about to break apart. My broken ribs send out pain all through my body, pain I didn't even know I was still able to feel. The water is back at my mouth, and I form the little bowl again. Just a few more minutes, even a few seconds will do. The rescuers will be here soon, and they'll get me out of here. Hermione. Will they take you as well? I don't want to stand next to an empty coffin and pretend to mourn you when you're not even there. I'll ask them when they come, that they'll bring us home together. That's what you meant, isn't it? When you told me not to give up and die. That's what you told me, wasn't it? I think the water's rising faster now. They'll have to hurry! I'll file a complaint! Can't have it, people being so tardy they barely make it in time! The water is flowing in over the edge of the bowl now, running into my nose. One deep breath, then hold it! They're coming! Just a few more seconds! Hermione!

Hermione!

Hermione

Hermio…


End file.
